A known type of filter assembly used in automotive/diesel truck engines for filtering fuel includes a filter housing, a filter cartridge disposed in an interior space of the filter housing and a nutplate for closing an open end of the filter housing. Fuel to be filtered flows from the fuel tank into an unfiltered fuel region of the filter assembly, flows through the filter cartridge to a filtered fuel region and then flows to the engine. In these types of filters, the filter cartridge is typically held in place by a spring that engages the bottom of the filter cartridge and forces the filter cartridge upward into engagement with the nutplate through an elastomeric seal that prevents bypass of unfiltered fuel around the filter cartridge from the unfiltered fuel region to the filtered fuel region. If the connection between the filter cartridge and the nutplate is compromised, unfiltered fuel can mix with the filtered fuel.
An effective retention mechanism is important for retaining the collection between the filter cartridge and the nutplate in the filter assembly.